Mar 24, 2004. /Lesprom Network/. Market pulp prices for March shipments have continued to surge in most of Asia. Contract prices have been settled in Taiwan and Southeast Asia, where softwood and hardwood grades climbed by $20-40/tonne, Paperloop.com reported quoting suppliers. Price talks for March deliveries are still under way in Korea and Japan, but suppliers have insisted on implementing $20-30/tonne increases for all grades. The upward trend in Asia seems to have left Korean and Japanese customers little choice but to accept the hikes. Sources said Asian customers have been aware of the dwindling shipments to Asia from North America and Latin America from February due to shipping delays both in bulk cargoes and containers. The strike at Canadian National Railway, which began on February 20, disrupted shipping arrangements from North America. The rapidly expanding exports of industrial raw materials to China have sapped the shipping capacity available for pulp deliveries to the global market and have affected shipping schedules between Latin America and Asia